The Uterus

poorer areas of the world. This is his justification for his examination of the ''new scientific possibilities" in the control of human fertility. This book is divided into eight chapters: (1) The new population problem, (2) analysis of social consequences of scientific development, (3) the human problem of microcosm, (4) fertility changes and developmental planning, (5) the potential breakthrough in fertility control, (6) the prospective spread of the innovation, (7) concerning equilibrium in human population, and (8) the unfinished tasks. A section entitled Appendixes follows that is comprised of four parts: (a) survey of studies relating to vulnerable points in the reproductive process (by Warren 0. Nelson), (b) oral control of contraception (by Nathan Millman and Carl G. Hartman,) (c) considerations from the future, and (d) notes on recent research developments related to oral contraception. This book will interest both nonmedical and medical readers alike. The book is timely, especially with the inclusion of the first two sections in the Appendix. Dr. Nelson has summarized the vulnerable points in reproduction, and Drs. Millman and Hartman have surveyed the contemporary literature on the means of oral control of conception. In the final analysis, Meier points up the status of our knowledge on fertility control. No convincing quantitative evidence reveals a single oral contraceptive that is 100 per cent effective to this date. Those that are being used can only be used at the patient's risk. There are no long-range studies on the effects of the oral contraceptives on the entire endocrine background. Also, there are no guarantees that these agents work 100 per cent of the time. Finally, what are the side-effects? In the light of the recently publicized and reported warnings that these tablets may prove too dangerous for general use, one must use extreme caution. For as Tyler and Olson reported in Los Angeles there were 22 pregnancies in 3,082 woman months of exposure-an effectiveness about the same as for other contraceptives. The author is factual in his reporting, but oftentimes his wordy evaluation of the scientist in his culture outweighs the task to which he assigned himself.